“You are the architect of your future brain,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, coauthor of Brain Wash. Today, he joins the goopfellas with his son and coauthor, Austin Perlmutter, MD. The Perlmutters share what they’ve learned about our brain’s ability to make good—and bad—decisions. The amygdala is responsible for emotional reactions and impulsivity, explain the father-son doctors. Willpower (or rather “won’t power”) fails because our environments tend to be set up poorly for our health—and our future brains. But there are simple things we can do to change our environments and the way we respond to them. And there are levers that we can pull for brain health, overall well-being, and joy. For example, getting out in nature helps, say the Perlmutters, and so does keeping plants or photos of nature inside. They share tweaks to nighttime routines for better sleep, technology that can support positive habits, and other tips for fostering connection.

 (For more, see the goopfellas podcast hub.)

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